The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-03-19

aspiring to the hand of the chief beauty,
belle and heress of the towni Why, |
could scarcely conceive of a greater piece
of folly" .
Still, TO Wills sharp eyes. tho pumistak-
able change that drfted over the dark,
handsome face, and the slight, unnatural
tension In the low, pleasant voice, were
proof sufficient that the young doctpr was
not so entirely at case upan the subject as
lie endeayored to appear.
81 don't think her money would have
proved an obstacle--on her part" said
! Uill, thoughtfplly, as he gaRed admiringly
and half pityingly on the splendidly hand
some face and figure Of the man before
him. "She never appeared to focognize
the 'nopnceivable tolly' yau allude to. l
only wish some charming halress would ap-
prcciate my ATTRACTIONS as fully as she did
yours. Why, man alive, her sweetest
smiles were bestowed on YOU always, and
have meyer heard Gabrielle Willard chsrgcd
4 with bamg a coquette. 'Pon my word
4 belinve you had only to go In and win.''
Y ''And be branded as fortune-huntcr,' -
was the quick retort, with hot flush of
the clear, dark cheek and a contemptuous
fash of the big black eyes. "Ah, no, my
friend! | don't choose that the world shall
haye that to say of me-
"But suppose the lady herself"
'We'll not suppose anything of the kind,
WILL" interrupted Alyin Grey, decidedly.
''Even were your suppositions correct
could not be so miserably selfish as TO ask
woman like her to share my uncertain
lot. She will marry In the sphere Of wealth
and fashion to which she belongs ga Sing
straight before him with compressed lips,
and a gloomy shadow darkening his hand
some cyes--"and I tell you truly, viii, |
would be the last one to seek to drag her
down fiom it,"
"Too proud by half, old boy; but l see
there's no use trying to talk you out of
your QuiXotic notions" exclaimed viii
, Anderson, with disappearing shake of
his auburn head.
He had all along believed, and never
more than now, as he looked into that
handsome face. clonded for the moment
with emotions usually so well concealed.
that DR.. Grey loved the beautiful heiress
who had half the masculine portion of the
town at her feet. and that he had thrown
away very possible chance of happiness
through some notion of pride or honor,
which Will not hesitate to term absurd.
The subject was dropped then, however,
as tbs doctor abruptly TUNED the conyer-
saiion into other channels, ani was not
again renewed But long after his friend 5
departure, DIR. Grey sat there at the win
dow smoking and thinking, and the
gloomy shadows deepening on his fir
proud face. r.. ..,.-..
TOO late he sighed at last, rorsing
himself up from his long, absorbing reverie
aud tssaing his burnt-out cigar through the
j open window as he started to his feet.
Itipick Renfrew has made good his boast
t'tlat he would win her, and she will soon
7 behis. 1t has all come about 50 s@iitly!---
and yet I expected it. He viii not be
stigmatiZed as f0rtune-hunter when he
IpIs the beautiful heiress; and yet, God
knaHs, he cannot love her half so well AS l..
What would hayc been the verdict of So
ciety had followed up the advantages l
4 seS9leq to haye--and won?"
His dark eyes glowed as he recalled the
looks and words and smiles from the proud
beauty, which had seemed to. tell him hoy
easily he might win if he chose.
1t was sore temptation in those days -
his pulses thrilled now at the mere re-
membrance-and he might, in the end,
haya yielded. and braYed that worldly ver-
dict from which his pride and honor shrank
So sensilivcly.
But all at once a change came over him.
\ whisper had reached him from some
source-he could scarcely tell bow OF
whence it came-that Gabrielle herself had
privately cidsculed ais motives, and declared
her intention of refusing him when his
vanity should lead him to Il direct pro-
posal
1t was not like her, he knew full well.
lie could almost as easily fancy some pure,
bright star falling i,Q!G its lofty height as
to believe that PROUD 41atgtsAe Willard
could descend to the petty mcannesses as,
cribed to her sex.
Yet, what man could fathom the arts
and subtle wies of woman's coquetry?
At all events, from that hour he guarded
his heart well, ani no whisper OS his i'm,
passioned love was ever breathed into hel
ear.
He caught maEg , wauderinG, reproacll
ful glance from those beautiful gray eye,
he loved, but he believed himself in nc
danger of again yielding to their spell.
She was very gold to him now, since hel
return from her summer campaign in the
mountains and elsewhere. He did moi
, seek to LaaE2 the cause. What did it mat
, ter, anyway? She was doubtless absorbed
in her new conquest, and her coldness
wonlL make the task OF forgetting her al
J isthe more easy. '.-
l. was gerry soon after his conversation
wi win Anderson that DIR. Grey Ret
Miss Willard at an evening party,
lie made his way to her side soon after
her entrance and uttered q few common
| places as he solicited the privilege of plac,,
= his rame upon her tablets.
He claimed but sEe dance, and whcr
that was Oyer. a little latel, he driftet
away FROM iier ciTcie of admirers, gracefully
/ giving hiR!self up to be lionized for th,
: rest # the evening by score of prett,
p girls.
t Yet fGr him there was but one face in al
/ that brilliant throng-a sweet, proud ,loVels